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Butternut Squash Chili Recipe

Butternut Squash Chili recipe made with ground beef or turkey, butternut squash, vegetables, and spices makes a hearty and delicious chili recipe! Recipe includes changes for Paleo, Whole 30 and Vegetarian needs. Also includes make ahead and freezer instructions!

This is without a doubt my absolute favorite time of the year. I spend as much time outside as I possibly can since we’re past the hot and humid stage and right smack dab in the middle of mild temperatures and gorgeous days. It is the perfect time of year!

It is also the perfect time of the year for making chilis, soups, stews and comforting dishes and this hearty Butternut Squash Chili recipe definitely doesn’t disappoint.

Butternut Squash Chili Recipe

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It is loaded with layered flavors that mingle together to make a chili recipe that is comforting and satisfying without having to simmer all day. By sautéing the spices along with onion and garlic, they release even more flavor into this chili recipe. The addition of butternut squash then makes this chili recipe even more filling and adds a hint of sweetness that is perfectly balanced in this spicy chili. I also love that it adds so much Vitamin A, C and fiber to this dish!

If you have special dietary concerns, you can easily modify this chili recipe to fit your needs. If you are following a paleo, Whole 30, or similar lifestyle, you would simply omit the beans included in this chili. If you are vegetarian, simply omit the ground beef or turkey and swap the chicken stock for vegetable broth instead.

Instructions

Drizzle olive oil into a Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and oregano and saute the onions until tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in the ground beef or turkey and cook until browned. Drain away any excess drippings and stir in tomato paste, bell pepper, tomato sauce, chicken stock, pinto beans, butternut squash, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until the chili is thickened and the butternut squash is tender, but not falling apart, about 20 minutes.

Notes

Special Dietary Changes:If you have special dietary concerns, you can easily modify this chili recipe to fit your needs. If you are following a paleo,Whole 30, or similar lifestyle, you would simply omit the beans included in this chili and not include the optional sour cream topping. If you are vegetarian, simply omit the ground beef or turkey and swap the chicken stock for vegetable broth instead and omit the optional sour cream topping.Make-Ahead:This chili recipe is a great make-ahead dish! Reduce the cooking time and stop cooking before the butternut squash reaches tenderness. Allow to cool and store in the refrigerator. To serve, reheat over medium heat, cooking until the butternut squash is tender. This prevents the butternut squash from overcooking or becoming mushy.Freezer Friendly:Prepare the chili as directed, stopping the cooking time before the butternut squash becomes tender. Allow to cool completely and store in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat over medium heat in a Dutch oven or large saucepan until heated throughout and the butternut squash is tender.

23 comments on “Butternut Squash Chili Recipe”

Hi Charlotte, I think it would be delicious. I do think that if the butternut squash is in the slow cooker all day that it may become very, very tender. I’d recommend using the low setting on the slow cooker if you do. I hope you enjoy it!

I have 1.5 quart crock pot. Do you think it is possible to shrink the ingredients to fit? Or do I have to buy a much bigger crock pot. I am a disabled vet who lives alone in a vet rehab home, too many pickey eaters. I prefer to cook for myself.

Hi Michael, I made this recipe in a large Dutch Oven pot on the stove. If you need to use a 1.5 qt crock pot to cook it, I would half the recipe and cook it on low for 6 to 8 hours. Hope you enjoy it! Thanks so much for your service to our country! Robyn

Hello Robyn! This was the very first recipe of yours I made and my family (with two little boys) and I absolutely enjoyed it! Loved the butterrnut squash in chili!! So happy to have found this recipe. So I thought if I could add my favorite vegetable…Sweet potato in here along with butternut squash. If I do, How long do you think it’ll take to get fresh cubed sweet potato cooked? Do you think I can add them with squash at the same time? The texture of the squash was perfect in this recipe, I don’t want either squash or sweet potato overcooked…!!! Thank you!!

Hi Kana, I so thrilled that you and your family enjoy this chili! You can put the sweet potatoes and the butternut squash in the slow cooker at the same time and follow the same recipe instructions. Enjoy!!! Thanks!

Made this last night in the Instant Pot, and we loved it. I used the chicken broth, 1 15-oz can of crushed tomatoes and the tomato paste, but no more sauce than that (we like it less soupy). Upped the spices a little and it still wasn’t too hot for wimpy husband. I cooked the pinto beans first and removed them, browned the meat and onions, then added some of the beans with the rest of the ingredients and cooked at high pressure for 12 minutes.

I ‘m not fond of comments where people say a recipe was good or bad when they made changes;this recipe is easy and delicious even with the green pepper and tomato paste I had to leave out for family members!

Hi Maurine, For this recipe, I say you can use ground beef or ground turkey, which will change the nutritional value depending on which you use. You can use an online application, such as My Fitness Pal, so that you can input the exact ingredients and serving size. I hope this helps and that you enjoy it! Thanks!

Great recipe! I used more tomato paste in mine and added fire roasted diced tomatoes because it needed more liquid to boil squash. I also added about 1/3tsp cayenne pepper, which gave it more flavor, did not make it spicy by any means though. I used four cheese spaghetti sauce instead of regular tomato sauce, chicken broth instead of chicken stock too. I also replaced pinto beans with northern beans since I didn’t have pinto. They worked well! And when serving, some of us used Slap Ya Mama seasoning(creole seasoning), which gave it a great flavor as well. I like plenty of spice, so I did add some hot sauce and crushed red pepper into mine too. And my ground turkey was preseasoned with Italian seasoning.